


Scoop On the Side

by SilentKnight



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Tetralogy - Thomas Harris
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Keeping with canon, Lesbians, Post-Episode: s02e13 Mizumono
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-08 01:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3191117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentKnight/pseuds/SilentKnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Freddie Lounds will do anything to get a scoop, including sleeping around to get information. Her partner Wendy is her avid fan and number one supporter, until the day Tattle Crime's next big tell-all comes from a night in Margot Verger's bed. This is uncharted territory that threatens to break their relationship, even as both Vergers seek retaliation, each with their own agenda.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Scoop On the Side

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this is going to turn into a series, but it could end up being just this one-shot or being very short.
> 
> Taking place post Mizumono, this story falls as closely along the lines portrayed in show and book as canon.

“Well?”

  
“Well?” Wendy's reply was sharp—if not in tone then in delivery—quick, like pulling off a band-aid to ease the pain. She wouldn't look Freddie in the eye.  
  
“Don't you think this is an improvement on bat boy articles and the Pope's abduction by aliens? I'm back on my own website again. You know that the only thing worse than a tabloid blogger is a freelance tabloid author.” She ducked her head to try to catch Wendy's eye, then slid off her desk to bring them to a more even level. With her five-foot-one to Wendy's five-foot-four, this made glancing past her and to the floor difficult, especially with the heels Wendy was wearing. A staring contest commenced, with Wendy breaking the silence first.

“It's good. It's great. You're back to writing up crime and Will Graham's story, doing what you love. It's great.”  
  
“Will Graham's story is what's going to buy us The Dame Club. Your very own Wendy City.” She spoke slowly, teasingly, giving Wendy's arm a shake as she spoke. But even mention of that mutual dream couldn't coax a smile from Wendy's frosted pink lips, and with a noise of disgust, Freddie gave up. “What? What is it? I can tell I'm not going to be able to guess.”  
  
“It's nothing. _Absolutely_ nothing, Roscoe.” A name Wendy had taken to telling her mother during those rare long-distance phone calls when she was asked who was spending the night. There had been many Roscoes before her, but Freddie had adopted the nickname with a glee that the topless dancer would have never expected from such a petite, pixy-like creature. No matter what happened...and at times like these, it certainly looked like something was going to happen...Freddie would be the last Roscoe. A new name would have to surface for the invisible boyfriend Wendy cited when turning down offers for dates at work. “Do you think Will Graham's going to want to tell you his story after this? _And_ the pictures.”  
  
Wrapping a gloved hand around her coffee, Freddie shrugged. Her lips drew up in an almost-pout before she took a sip. “ _If_ Will Graham recovers from his encounter with Doctor Lecter, he has no choice but to give me his story. The paperwork's signed, and no hospital pictures or external interviews are going to change that.” The pout was replaced by a frown. “...I _wasn't_ sleeping with him, you know. You never get uptight about the men I use on the job. But if that's what's gotten into you...I didn't _need_ that to get what I wanted from him.”  
  
She started collecting things now. Her camera in a sensible bag. An audio recorder. Her latest article on Tattle Crime had garnered the interest of more than one of Doctor Lecter's other patients, and it was promising to be a very busy week. Her laptop remained open on the desk while she went to touch up makeup, and Wendy walked around the desk to read the article again.

 

True, the men Freddie slept with had never bothered Wendy. Men saw her own body every day, after all, and some touched it. About as satisfying as being named employee of the month without a plaque or a parking space with your name on it, Freddie had said more than once. So why worry?  
  
The answer was simple. To get this story, Freddie hadn't slept with a man.  
  
 _Before It All Happened!_ The title blared, over a picture of a young woman, dirty blond hair and a way about her as if she were wearing armor between herself and the world. _She Courted the Condemned Man_. Though it lacked the usual gore of Freddie's crime scene photos, Wendy thought there was something distinctly haunting in Margot Verger's gaze.  
  
Not a man at all.

 


End file.
